Create and manage custom inventory adjustment reasons
About custom adjustment reasons
When you adjust inventory stock levels, you select a reason to explain why the count changed. Square provides predefined adjustment reasons you can use straight away. You can also create up to 10 custom reasons to better match your business needs.
Custom adjustment reasons appear alongside predefined reasons in the stock action drop-down when you adjust inventory from Square Dashboard or your point of sale app. Each custom reason includes a name and a stock direction (increase or decrease).
Predefined reasons cannot be edited or deleted. They include:
Stock received
Inventory re-count
Damage
Theft
Loss
Restock return
Spoilage/waste
Internal use
Production waste
Samples/promotional
Note: Deleted custom reasons count towards the 10-reason limit. You can rename or restore deleted reasons but cannot create new ones after reaching the limit.
Before you begin
You can manage custom adjustment reasons from Square Dashboard.
Navigate to Items & services > Settings > Adjustment reasons to access the settings page.
You need account owner or team member permissions with item and inventory access.
Create a custom adjustment reason
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items & services > Settings > Adjustment reasons.
Select Create reason.
Enter a name for the custom reason.
Choose the stock direction: Increase or Decrease.
Select Save.
The new reason appears in the stock action drop-down the next time you adjust inventory.
Edit a custom adjustment reason
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items & services > Settings > Adjustment reasons.
Find the custom reason you want to update.
Select the Edit icon next to the reason name.
Update the reason name.
Select Save.
Note: You can only edit the name of a custom reason. The stock direction cannot be changed after creation.
Delete a custom adjustment reason
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items & services > Settings > Adjustment reasons.
Find the custom reason you want to remove.
Select the Delete icon next to the reason name.
Confirm the deletion.
Note: Deleted reasons still count towards your 10-reason limit. If you need to free up space, consider restoring and renaming an existing reason instead.
Restore a deleted custom adjustment reason
Sign in to Square Dashboard and go to Items & services > Settings > Adjustment reasons.
Find the deleted reason in the list. Deleted reasons appear dimmed.
Select the Restore icon next to the reason name.
The restored reason becomes available again in the stock action drop-down.